This invention is directed to a spinning-type fishing reel, and more particularly to an adapter which replaces the existing drag adjustment nut of such reels for quick, enhanced selection of drag setting between normal drag and a "free spool" setting.
There are generally available two types of fishing reels. The first type is of the conventional casting type wherein a transversely mounted spool is held for rotation in a housing and wherein fishing line fed therefrom and thereonto is effected only by the appropriate rotation of the spool. Such conventional casting reels afford an acceptable degree of control in their "free spool" setting wherein a fish striking the lure may run with the lure taking line from the spool as it rotates. At the appropriate time, the user may interrupt this "free spooling" to quickly prevent the spool from further low- or no-drag rotation and to reestablish a preselected normal drag setting. Thereafter, the normal drag setting selected allows retrieving of the fishing line onto the spool.
A serious drawback to these conventional transversely mounted casting-type fishing reels is their limited ability to cast a lure. Because the spool must rotate as line is fed out even in the "free spooling" setting, the inherent inertia and resistance to rotation of the spool, coupled with rapid line removal during a cast limits the casting distance capability of these fishing reels.
Spinning-type fishing reels were developed as a substantial improvement in casting ability over conventional casting reels. In these spinning-type fishing reels, the spool is held from rotation in all situations of use except during "free spooling" or against normal drag resistance. A separate rotatable housing is provided which includes a pivotally mounted two-position bail arrangement. In its closed position, the bail feeds the line around and onto the spool when the handle of the reel is rotated. In its open position, the line on the spool is completely free of the bail and may be pulled off of the spool without interference and without movement from any part of the fishing reel. This open-bail position thus greatly enhances the castability of such fishing reels.
However, another inherent drawback to spinning-type reels currently exists vis-a-vis conventional transverse mounted spool casting reels. This limitation is with respect to the "free spooling" feature of conventional casting reels. All modern spinning-type fishing reels are provided with a drag or "star" adjustment nut which is threadably engaged onto the front end of the main shaft of the reel. By rotating this drag adjustment nut, the resistance to rotation of the spool is gradually varied. However, this drag adjustment is only with respect to the spool when the bail is in its closed position. This drag setting has absolutely no effect when the bail is in its open configuration.
Thus, the user is faced with allowing a fish to strike the lure when the bail is in its open position wherein line may be stripped from the spool in a totally unencumbered fashion which may lead to uncontrolled and erratic removal of line from the spool and even knotting and tangling of the line. Alternately, when the bail is in its closed position and a fish strikes the lure, a great deal of resistance based upon the drag adjustment nut setting is encountered by the fish which in many cases will result in the line breaking because of the suddeness of the intensity of the fish strike against a high resistance. Trying to manually manipulate conventional drag adjustment nuts between a low drag setting to facilitate "free spooling" and a normal drag setting for setting and retrieving a lure with fish is practically impossible.
One device known to applicant which in some respects addresses this problem with respect to open face spinning reels is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,108 currently being marketed by Shimano Corporation. This invention is directed to an additional adjustable knob and drag lever disposed at the rear of the reel and functions somewhat differently from that of the present invention.
The present invention provides an adapter which allows spinning-type fishing reels to function in virtually the same manner as the conventional casting reels whereby, when a bail is in its closed position, the fishing line will "free spool" from the spool in a low-or no-drag setting, but allows the fisherman to quickly reestablish normal drag after a fish has struck and taken the lure.